My guests for The Happy Hour #172 are Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer from Thriving Home blog, where they write about parenting, recipes, and most importantly freezer cooking. They've just released their first cookbook, From Freezer to Table. After listening to our conversation, I just know you're going to be so inspired to go grab a copy and take a good swing at this freezer cooking movement.

I was so intrigued with these ladies for a few reasons. First, they are women just like you and me chasing their dreams and making them happen. They have real lives, families and normal hurdles that we're all trying to navigate. Secondly, they are providing great recipes with whole foods that you will feel confident in serving your family. And lastly, freezer cooking - tell me more! In today's show, you'll hear all about freezer cooking - the myths, the advantages, and how to start a freezer club.

At the end of our conversation, Polly and Rachel share about walking through suffering within their families and with their kids. If you are suffering or know someone that is, I think our conversation will be such an encouragement to you.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Jena Holliday is my guest for The Happy Hour #171. Jena is a full-time artist, wife and work-at-home mother who loves Jesus and storytelling. She has a heart for encouraging women and mothers to go after their God-given dreams in whatever season they are in.

On today's show, Jena and I spend a little time reminiscing on mix tapes, nokia phones and AOL dial up. Jena shares about growing up in the church and walking away until God called her to Himself intimately and individually. We talk about creativity, staying in your lane, and embracing the gifts that God has uniquely given you.

Jena is giving Happy Hour listeners a generous discount from her shop using the code JIVEY30. So, make sure to go poke around her shop to make your last minute Christmas purchases!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #170 is Tricia Goyer. Tricia is a USA Today best-selling author of 70 books, a wife, mom of 10, and host of her podcast Walk It Out. Tricia lives near Little Rock, Arkansas where she leads a teen mom support group.

Tricia and I cover just about everything today. We talk about abortion, teen pregnancy, how she had a 2-week-old baby on her first date with her husband (!!!!), adoption, mothering 10 kids, writing an unbelievable amount of books, feeding 11 people every day and somehow managing all of it with a lot of grace.

Finally, we talk about how easy it is to believe that our experiences and sin define us and disqualify us, but Tricia has been so faithful to use her experiences with abortion and teen pregnancy to now minister to other women in similar circumstances.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #169 is my friend, Kat Lee. Kat is passionate about teaching others how to jump-start each day with a grace-filled, life-giving morning routine. She and her husband, Jimmy, live in Waco, Texas, with their three children. She is a writer, speaker, podcaster and founder of HelloMornings.org.

On today's show, Kat and I talk about podcasting, our new favorite shows and how she has earned the title of being my Podcast Mom. Kat shares about her new book, Hello Mornings. She's super passionate about waking up for your life, rather than to your life and she's taken the time to write about it. If you're anything like me, this conversation might be a tiny bit convicting to a comfort idol that begs for me to stay in bed as long as possible. Kat shares about her experience in learning to wake up earlier than she had to, to meet with God and get her head on straight. Her book tells of her journey and about getting the most out of your sleep.

I am such a big fan of Kat and the work that she is doing. Make sure to hop over and pre-order a copy of Hello Mornings for you and a friend.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #168 is Abbie Kampman. Abbie is a Midwestern "city" girl and mother of four boys just outside Des Moines, Iowa. She's a bookworm, a coffee snob, a mountain-lover, and a passionate pursuer of deep relationships built over shared stories.

Abbie joins me today to share her story of losing her mom and stepsisters in a tragic drunk driving accident. The accident happened when she was 13 years old, and she is finally feeling freedom to share her story. I am over-the-moon proud of her for having the courage to share. It may not be anything like your story, but I am confident you will love hearing how the Lord has used and redeemed her story, and may just see a little bit of yourself in her as well.

I will warn you that today's interview may not be appropriate for the the children in your life. Abbie shares some details about the accident that you may want to wait to listen to without any little ears.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

My guest for The Happy Hour #165 is my friend, Bri McKoy. Bri serves as the visionary and leader for Compassion International’s blogger program. She writes regularly at OurSavoryLife.com, a food blog with recipes and stories from around her table, and is a regular contributor to the award-winning Compassion blog and GraceTable.org, a community blog about food and faith. Bri and her husband Jeremy live in Hermosa Beach, California.

On today's show, we talk all about gathering people around the table. Bri and I are both big believers in opening our home to share a meal and our lives with one another. Bri is a pro at this and writes all about it her new book, Come & Eat. We talk about how she started cooking with an onion casserole dish, and started hosting people at our house - moving from a late night meeting to a dinner time gathering and the doors it opened for honest and vulnerable conversation.

Bri shares about being a military wife and what transition is like for her and her husband after his return from deployment. She shares the most helpful advice she has been given about transitioning together. Finally, we chat all about Compassion and the blogger trips that Bri leads all over the world. Bri shares how you can be involved in a trip or by sponsoring a child.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #164 is Lisa Lloyd. Lisa is a charismatic actress, speaker and writer, dedicated to helping women break free of the lies that convince us we don’t have a purpose, when in fact God has created us to herald His fame. She is the author of the new book, Chasing Famous.

On today's show, we cover it all. We talk about our deep rooted desires for fame, and how God created us that way - not for our own fame, but for the name of Jesus. We talk about messy pasts - sex and abortions - and how God was relentless in his pursuit of us in our worst messes. We talk about parenting and the challenge of keeping our cool when our kids come to us with something big.

I think this show has something for just about everyone. I hope you enjoy it and make sure to listen next week when I chat with my friend, Bri McKoy.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sharon Hodde Miller joins me today for The Happy Hour #163. Sharon is the author of Free of Me and speaks regularly on topics ranging from leadership to motherhood to Scripture. She’s a pastor's wife and mother to two small boys. In addition to earning her PhD, Sharon has blogged at SheWorships.com for nearly ten years, making God's Word accessible to women everywhere. She lives with her growing family in the Raleigh/Durham area.

In our conversation today, Sharon shares her hilarious story about meeting her husband at a date auction - which includes a mechanical bull, a shirtless man and push-ups. She shares about getting her PhD, which I feel automatically makes her the smartest woman we've ever had on the show. And we talk about what Sharon does best - supporting women in ministry and cheering others on in their unique giftings.

You'll love Sharon's favorite things, and I'm guessing you'll be making a stop at a Starbucks this week with a new order. I hope you love the show today, and make sure to pop over to wherever you like to buy your books and grab a copy of Free of Me.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

My guest for The Happy Hour #162 is singer-songwriter Ellie Holcomb. Ellie is a Nashville native, and began her musical career by touring the country with her husband in Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors. After 8 years, and with the birth of their daughter, Emmylou, she opted to step out of the role of heavy touring. From that space came her debut solo album, As Sure As The Sun, which charted at #1 on the iTunes Christian chart and helped deem her the “Best New Artist” at the 2014 Dove Awards. Since her first album, Ellie has been walking an unexpected path, one of suffering and loss but also peace and joy. And it is from that place—of finding God in the dark and unexpected—that she wrote and recorded Red Sea Road released earlier this year.

In our conversation today, Ellie and I talked about going through tough seasons in marriage and seeking counseling. No matter where you are, I think you will be encouraged by our conversation. The context for us was marriage, but regardless of your marital status, I think you will be able to relate to our tendencies to avoid conflict and avoid a mess.

Ellie and I have a very real and vulnerable conversation about depression, and what life is like in a family with two traveling musicians. Finally, you're probably going to need to grab a tissue when Ellie talks about such a sweet moment with her daughter wanting to call God on the phone.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Lisa Whittle is my guest for The Happy Hour #161. Lisa is a leader, author and speaker with a heart and passion to communicate one thing: Jesus is everything. Her love runs deep to see people pursue Jesus for life, grow deep roots of faith, and walk strong in the midst of a world that so often seems to have gone crazy. She is the author of seven books, including her latest Put Your Warrior Boots On and Five-Word Prayers, and a sought out Bible teacher for her wit and bold, bottom line approach. She is a wife and mother of three who currently resides in North Carolina.

Lisa and I kick off our conversation talking about The Office's best episodes. Duh. From there, the conversation naturally transitions into parenting older children, keeping our marriages a priority while dedicating time spent as a family. We chat all about her newest book, Put Your Warrior Boots On, and how the Lord birthed in her a desire to see women that were stronger in what God says than what culture and news say. And finally, I think you'll love hearing her story about trying to orchestrate a date with her son and Harry Connick Jr.'s daughter. You know - normal mom stuff.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Osheta Moore joins me today for The Happy Hour #160. Osheta is an pastor’s wife, a mom of three kiddos, and the author of Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Brokenhearted World. She believes everything is better after a nap, brunch with her girlfriends is a necessity, and nothing beats a good Netflix binge. She’s passionate about encouraging women to be peacemakers in their everyday lives.

In our conversation today, Osheta and I talk about when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and how it shifted their entire lives.

We get into a funny slash serious conversation about strangers asking us questions about our families since we both have families that look a little different than the average American family. We both agree that we used to get angry over silly questions and comments, but now we feel differently - now we both feel like it’s an opportunity to educate and help them know how to talk about a child's birth parents, or interracial family. I even shared with Osheta the comment that used to drive me crazy.

Osheta and I also have a serious conversation about raising our black and biracial kids in a predominately white area. We joke about it, and not in a disrespectful way, but in a way that we both get because we both live it. Osheta opens up about her own journey with being a black woman, and I was thankful for her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable. And of course, like any good happy hour, we cover body image and sex.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Amanda Jones joins me for The Happy Hour #159. Amanda is a Jesus-loving gal from Texas, married to a preacher boy from Missouri. She's the daughter of Beth Moore, and mom to four kids. Amanda first joined me for episode #66. If you missed that, you can catch up here.

She's back today to catch up and talk about Hurricane Harvey and the devastation it caused in Houston. Amanda and her husband help to lead Bayou City Fellowship, a church that has been hugely instrumental in the disaster relief in the areas affected. She shares the most pressing needs they have and how you can be a part.

Amanda also shares briefly about her struggle with depression - shedding light on a topic that can be so taboo, especially in the church.

My hope for today's show is that you feel encouraged to do what you can, wherever you are, to serve the people devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Whether that means getting on a plane to serve on a demolition crew or by sending money and supplies, please consider how you can help today.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

In our conversation today, Raechel and I chat about how she's leading a Bible study for the first time with the ladies in her neighborhood. We also talk all about She Reads Truth - about how quickly it's grown and how one of their employees is now Raechel's husband, making her his boss (which would never work in the Ivey household, but Raechel makes it sound like a dream). And finally, we talk about God's faithfulness through good times and hard times and how to be a friend to someone walking through the trenches.

In the show, Raechel and I talk briefly about the She Reads Truth Bible. Y'all, I can't recommend this Bible enough. It's so beautifully put together. Because of it's crazy popularity, the Bible sold out very quickly, but the reprint has recently been released and you can grab your copy here. I promise, you will LOVE it.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #157 is Catherine Lowe. You may recognize her from a little show called The Bachelor. Catherine met and fell in love with her now husband, Sean Lowe, on season 17. Millions (self included) tuned in to watch them tie the knot on national television in 2014. They now live in Dallas with their adorable son, Samuel.

On today's show, Catherine and I visit in person and cover so very much. We cover all things related to The Bachelor - how she was casted, her journey of falling in love and getting engaged while the world watched. She gives some behind-the-scenes scoop - like how you might find some of the women doing Bible studies, instead of running around in their tiny bikinis. But, somehow, that kind of drama doesn't make the final cut. Catherine shares about how difficult it was transitioning from finally being publicly engaged to watching her fiancé dance on Dancing with the Stars. You'll love hearing her story of following Jesus, after Sean made an 11th hour visit to her hotel room the night before he proposed.

As a bonus, we also talk TV and movies, and what it's like to have an angel for a mother-in-law. You are not going to want to miss this show.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #156 is AndreaLucado. Andrea is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. As the daughter of bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado, Andrea inherited an obsession with words and their arrangement. She has a master’s degree in English literature from Oxford-Brookes University and contributes regularly to online and print publications such as Relevant magazine and SheReadsTruth.com. She recently released a book, English Lessons.

In our conversation, we chat about Andrea growing up as a preacher's kid. She shares about her journey in owning her faith - not because it was what was expected or what was culturally acceptable, but because she had a personal, authentic relationship with Jesus.

Andrea also shares about her routine to abstain from social media on the weekends - taking apps off her devices on Friday and re-d0wnloading on Monday. You'll hear about how social media can trigger some major sin struggles in both of us. And if you can relate, maybe you'll consider joining us in creating some boundaries around time spent on social media.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Today, Sara Hagerty joins me for The Happy Hour #155. Sara is wife to her best friend Nate, and a mother of six, including four children adopted from Africa and two through natural childbirth. Her first published book, Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet, found her a worldwide audience, drawn to the authentic voice heard in her emotive and Scripturally-based writing style, as she searches to find God in the midst of questions and brokenness. Her second book, Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World that Loves to be Noticed, comes out next week.

In today's show, Sara and I chat about how God built their family after a long journey of infertility. She shares how that and other pieces of her story left her feeling alone and how that became the impetus for her new book, Unseen. Sara talks about her fight to believe that God sees her, understands her, knows her, hasn't forgotten her - and how that truth is better than being seen by anyone else.

Sara's newest book is available to pre-order today. Make sure you grab a copy here. You will not regret it.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My friend, LaToria Wilson, joins me today for episode #154 for of The Happy Hour. Let me tell you - her amazing hair and big personality aren't all she has to offer. LaToria has an energy that's all her own and brings an eclectic feel to the hip hop music she makes. Through her music, LaToria aims to offer hope, light, and truth while providing an unforgettable experience. She was nominated for Christian Female Hip Hop minister of the year in 2016. Her latest single Pushin Light is now available, and she's set to release her next project, volume 2 of her The Long Walk series, later this year.

In our chat today, we talk about how she started pursuing the music industry. We chat about strong female influences and what it was like for her to grow up without her father present. I teetered on the line of talking politics on The Happy Hour as we discussed what this year has been like for her - living in America as a woman of color. And she gives me some great advice, that I think any parent could benefit from, for raising a strong daughter.

This interview was recorded several months ago, and the timing couldn't be better in light of this weekend's events in Virginia. I hope you're able to listen and soak in LaToria's story, her experiences and her perspectives.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Shauna Shanks joins me for a special live edition of The Happy Hour - recorded in my backyard in the sweltering July heat for our Summer Book Club. Shauna is the author of our second book, A Fierce Love. She's also a wife, mother, and entrepreneur. Shauna and her husband, Micah, have been married for more than a decade, and they're currently building a house out of shipping containers with their three boys on an Ohio farm.

A Fierce Love is Shauna's story of fighting for her marriage through her husband's infidelity. In our conversation, we chat about how her journal entries became the framework for her book and the processes through which she went to get her story published. Shauna also graciously answers some of the questions our book club members and I had about her story. She shares about how she and her husband are fighting for their marriage today and the sacrifices they're making to connect with each other.

And finally, we chat all about their latest venture and what Shauna describes as marriage bootcamp - building a house out of shipping containers. She describes their house, but I thought a picture was the best way to go. Check out their awesome new digs.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My friend Chrystal Hurst joins me today for episode #152 of The Happy Hour. Chrystal is a writer, speaker, and worship leader in addition to serving as the chief executive operating officer in her home as a wife, mother of five and grandmother to one. Chrystal is co-author of, Kingdom Woman and her second book, She’s Still There coming out next week. She also blogs and podcasts regularly at Chrystal’s Chronicles where she poignantly reflects her thoughts about her faith and day-to- day experiences.

In our conversation today, Chrystal and I talk about her new role as a grandmother and how she still doesn't have a grandmother name (!!!). We chat about the sacrifices she has made to pursue her calling and gifts. She shares such valuable nuggets of wisdom about being present in the season you are in and not chasing after someone else's story. We talk about her new book, She's Still There - a book about rescuing the girl that is still inside of you. I have read every page and I can't wait for you to get a hold of it. And Chrystal does a fabulous job explaining why pre-ordering a book is important.

This conversation was so good for my soul, and I hope it is for you too.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Angela Lanter is my guest for The Happy Hour #151. As one of the hot new trendsetters in the beauty and fashion blogging community, Angela has established a credible reputation and sizable social media following in a short period of time. The founder of Hello Gorgeous blog and Youtube channel, she was named a finalist for the Allure magazine’s Beauty Blogger of the Year Award and was honored with the “Spotlight Award” for Blogger of the Year by PopSugar. She has served as brand ambassadors for brands such as Paul Mitchell, Laneige and Garnier. Angela enjoys DIY crafts, cooking and spending time with her husband, 90210 and NBC’s Timeless actor Matt Lanter, at their home in Los Angeles, CA.

In today's conversation, Angela and I chat about her life being married to a Hollywood actor, walking the red carpet, moving all over the country for acting jobs and their recent surprise cancellation-turned-noncancellation of her husband's hit show, Timeless. Angela shares about Hello Gorgeous, how she got started, how she and Matt work together and how she incorporates her faith into the work she does.

And finally, we Angela shares a little of her story and struggle with endometriosis - a disease that affects countless women, but one that is rarely talked about.

If this is your first introduction to Angela, be prepared to get sucked into hours of her YouTube channel and feel like you have a new best friend and makeup artist.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #150 is Christy Wright. Christy is both entertaining and inspiring, and presents messages that educate and give hope to audiences all over the country. As the creator of Business Boutique and through her podcast and sellout live events, Christy has equipped thousands of women to successfully run and grow a business so they can make money doing what they love. Since joining Ramsey Solutions in 2009, she has spoken to audiences across the country at women’s conferences, national business conferences and Fortune 500 companies. Her new book, Business Boutique, released April 2017.

Y'all, I so loved my conversation with Christy. I get so many emails from women all over the country with dreams - some of them new and exciting ideas, and some of them have been growing and evolving for years. If that's you, I just feel so confident that this conversation is going to help you to feel more confident making the next step towards that dream. Christy is so inspiring and such a cheerleader for women following their passions and working within their gift sets. She does such a great job of helping to reframe moments of failure to being an event, rather than an identity. And she helps to combat some of the most common fears and lies that keep women from taking steps towards their dreams.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

In today's conversation with Virginia, we chat about the intersection of culture and social justice. She shares about her family life when she was growing up, and how her family modeled an integrated life for her. We talk about the importance of storytelling to personify issues and policies that may feel so distant. And finally, we hit a very light and noncontroversial topic - feminism!

I hope you love getting to meet Virginia and enjoy our conversation. Do yourself a favor today and call a friend and grab a happy hour. It's hotter than heck and we need to stick together.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #148 is Lisa Harper. Lisa is a master storyteller with a masters of Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary. She’s lauded as an engaging, hilarious communicator as well as an authentic and substantive Bible teacher. She’s been in vocational ministry for thirty years and has written fifteen books and Bible study curriculums but says her greatest accomplishment by far is that of becoming Missy’s (her adopted daughter from Haiti) mama! They live on a hilly farmette south of Nashville, Tennessee, where they enjoy eating copious amounts of chips, queso, and guacamole. And then diving in the pool immediately afterwards instead of dutifully waiting the recommended thirty minutes.

Oh my gracious, getting to talk with Lisa was such a delight. You guys are going to love her so much. Other than the fact that I forgot to press record at the beginning of our conversation and missed 15 minutes of chatter, this is such a fun episode.

Lisa and I chat about her newest book, The Sacrament of Happy, and the misconceptions surrounding happiness for Christians. We talk all about her adoption of her sweet little Missy from Haiti. And you'll hear her tell a story that I am certain is going to make you want to punch someone.

Lisa is the best, and I know you'll love to getting to know her. Make sure to grab a copy of her book. You will not regret it.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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My guest for The Happy Hour #147 is Kristin Schell. Kristin is an established speaker and blogger on the subjects of food, faith, and hospitality. As founder of the Turquoise Table and Front Yard People movement, Kristin travels the country speaking at conferences and events with an encouraging word on how to open our lives and homes to others. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Tony, and their four children. Kristin and the Turquoise Table has been featured in a wide variety of media outlets including the The Today Show, Austin American-Statesman, KEYE-TV/CBS Austin, MOPS International.

Today's show is a little different with a live recording of our summer book club. Kristin and 50 other ladies joined me in my back yard for a conversation about The Turquoise Table. We chat about opening our lives up to the people around us and loving where we live. We talk about practicing hospitality in every life stage and no matter what your space looks like.

I absolutely loved Kristin's book and loved being able to chat with her in person about how she champions the front yard people movement in her life. If you haven't already read her book, make sure to grab one here. You won't regret it.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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ZipRecruiter

Are you hiring? Do you know where to post your job to find the best candidates? Finding great talent can be tough. Thankfully, with ZipRecruiter, you can post your job to 100 plus job sites with just one click. Then, their powerful technology efficiently matches the RIGHT people to your job—better than anyone else. That’s why ZipRecruiter is different. Unlike other job sites, ZipRecruiter doesn’t depend on candidates finding you; it finds them. In fact, over 80% of jobs posted on ZipRecruiter get a qualified candidate in just 24 hours!

Find out today why ZipRecruiter has been used by businesses of all sizes to find the most qualified job candidates with immediate results. And right now, you can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com/HH.

On today's show, Sophie and I recount several of our favorite stories from Kenya and how they impacted our lives. We chat about visiting the slums (you'll find some pictures below), meeting our sponsored children and their families and seeing how Compassion is changing the lives of children all over the world through the local church.

And of course, we can't talk to Sophie without a few hysterical moments - so you'll hear her story of monkeys robbing her pistachios, a van ride neither of us will soon forget and my inability to control my bladder. It's a show you won't want to miss.

And again, I strongly encourage you to consider sponsoring a child through Compassion. For just $38 a month, you can change the course of a family's lives forever. Go here to sign up today.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Are you hiring? Do you know where to post your job to find the best candidates? Finding great talent can be tough. Thankfully, with ZipRecruiter, you can post your job to 100 plus job sites with just one click. Then, their powerful technology efficiently matches the RIGHT people to your job—better than anyone else. That’s why ZipRecruiter is different. Unlike other job sites, ZipRecruiter doesn’t depend on candidates finding you; it finds them. In fact, over 80% of jobs posted on ZipRecruiter get a qualified candidate in just 24 hours!

Find out today why ZipRecruiter has been used by businesses of all sizes to find the most qualified job candidates with immediate results. And right now, you can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com/HH.

Maria Goff is my guest for The Happy Hour #145. Maria has made a career out of loving her family and neighbors, raising her children, and turning houses into homes. She is married to national bestselling author of “Love Does” Bob Goff. Together, they operate Love Does, an organization dedicated to helping kids in conflict areas around the world including Uganda, Nepal, India, Iraq, and Somalia. The Goffs have three adult kids who are starting families of their own. They live in San Diego, where they continue to dream about and plan new adventures yet to be had with their growing family. Maria’s first book, Love Lives Here, was published in earlier this year.

In our conversation, we chat about raising children and how fast the little years fly. Maria shares about her book and how she works to make her home comfortable, inviting and a place of peace. She talks about how she views her role in supporting her husband, Bob, in his very successful career. And finally, Maria shares about the fire that consumed their property in Canada and how they are moving forward.

I know many of you are probably familiar with Bob Goff, but I just know you're going to fall in love with Maria. She was such a joy to chat with and I was so encouraged by her and her wisdom in being a helper to her husband, parenting and taking on new challenges.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Kammok

Located in sunny Austin TX, Kammok is an outdoor company focused on high performance gear for hammock camping. Texas tough and featherlight, Kammok gear is designed for backpackers, campers, and travelers who want comfort without the weight. From hammocks to sleeping bags, tents to trail quilts, Kammok gear is built to outlast your wildest endeavors and covered by a lifetime guarantee. As a 1% for the Planet company, Kammok gives one percent of annual revenue to Explore Austin, a nonprofit providing outdoor education, leadership training, and mentorship to youth. Use the code HAPPYHOUR25 for 25% off all orders through the end of June.

Sock Club

Sock Club is delivering the perfect gift experience. Quality American-made socks are sent straight to your loved-one’s door, featuring different designs and a personal note every month, making it the gift that keeps giving all year long. These socks are premium quality, American-made socks, and use cotton sourced from the Southeastern United States. They’re designed in Austin, Texas and knit in North Carolina. (You can tell the difference when you put ‘em on). Go to sockclub.com and get 15% off subscriptions using discount code “HAPPY” at checkout.

Sarah Harmeyer is my guest for episode #144 of The Happy Hour. Sarah is the founder of Neighbor’s Table, a concept born from her personal passion for gathering people, and her desire to get to know her own neighbors. She has personally witnessed how lives are transformed when people gather around the table and share their stories. Sarah asked her father to build a cedar farmhouse style table big enough to seat 20. They placed it under the oak tree in her backyard in Dallas, dropped chandeliers overhead, and started inviting. Sarah set a goal to serve 500 that year, one dinner party after another. The 500th guest walked up her driveway on Thanksgiving Day. Now five years later, more than 2500 people have celebrated at the original Neighbor’s Table. The power of community that now regularly happens at the original Neighbor’s Table has spurred a desire to launch a movement – a love mission, if you will. Sarah’s vision is to have tables in backyards across the US, placing them in every state by 2020. Together, Sarah and her father are building more than custom handcrafted tables. They are growing a Neighbor’s Table family nationwide.

Sarah and I met several years ago on a trip to Uganda. I love so many things about Sarah, but the thing that I love most about her is how comfortable and important she makes people feel. In every conversation I have had with her, she makes me feel like I am the only person in the world at that moment. In our conversation today, you'll see her giftings naturally flow right out of that quality. She has an amazing knack for making people feel cared for, seen and important.

We talk all about community, gathering people, and her secret undercover restaurant in college. We also chat about the barriers that keep us from hospitality. To make hosting maybe just a skosh easier for you, Sarah is offering 10% off her shop using the code HAPPYHOUR. So, make sure to check her site out and snag you a few hosting goodies.

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Sponsors:

Sock Club

Sock Club is delivering the perfect gift experience. Quality American-made socks are sent straight to your loved-one’s door, featuring different designs and a personal note every month, making it the gift that keeps giving all year long. These socks are premium quality, American-made socks, and use cotton sourced from the Southeastern United States. They’re designed in Austin, Texas and knit in North Carolina. (You can tell the difference when you put ‘em on). Go to sockclub.com and get 15% off subscriptions using discount code “HAPPY” at checkout.

Story Worth

Everyone has that family member who tells the best stories. - Whether they are antidotes from their childhood or stories passed down for generations, they are timeless treasures. Now, they are easier than ever to preserve, thanks to StoryWorth. StoryWorth safeguards your narratives so that future generations can enjoy them and brings families together as they get to know each other better. Simply purchase a subscription for someone you love and each week StoryWorth will email them with questions about their life. They reply their stories via email or phone, and after one year, their stories are bound in a beautiful keepsake book. Visit StoryWorth.com/happyhour for $20 off your first order.

Kopari

Kopari is a line of products that moisturize skin and hair, smell great—but without any sulfates, silicones, GMOs or parabens. Instead, Kopari products are made with 100% organic coconut oil. Kopari searched around the world for an oil of the highest quality, with a great aroma and a non-gritty texture, that you can apply head to toe. Say Aloha to the best skin and hair of your life with Kopari. Go to koparibeauty.com/jamie to receive 20% off your order!

My guest for The Happy Hour #143 is Angie Smith. Angie is married to Todd Smith, of the Christian group,Selah, and mom to five daughters. In 2008, the Smiths received news that their 4th daughter, Audrey, would not survive, and Angie began blogging as a means of communication with friends and family during those difficult days. Angie now writes books and Bible studies, and teaches around the country, but the heart of her ministry is the same as it was when her fingers typed the very first words on her blog years ago: Angie's greatest passion is to make the Bible feel accessible and relevant and to encourage others in their faith journey. Angie holds a Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and is a best-selling author of multiple adult and children’s books. She and Todd (and their house full of daughters) live in Nashville, TN.

I have known and loved Angie for a few years now and am way overdue on having her join me on The Happy Hour. In today's conversation, we talk about the loss of her newborn daughter just hours after she was born. She writes about her story in her book, I Will Carry You, which will captivate you from the very beginning.

And finally, we talk all about Compassion International and the trip that I am able to take with them to Kenya. If you're not familiar with Compassion, they are an incredible organization offering child sponsorship all over the world in third-world countries. Angie and I have both been supporters of Compassion for a long time, and we're excited to introduce you to them and good work they are doing. For just $38, you can change a child's life forever - offering them all of their basic needs, education, and access to the gospel. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please use this link.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

BarkBox

BarkBox is a monthly delivery of all-natural treats and super fun toys curated to match your dog’s unique needs, including allergies and chew preferences. It’s a great way to try a variety of USA/Canada-made treats and unique toys from local and small businesses that you may not otherwise be able to find. Plus, each box is centered around a different theme, like Country Fair, BarkBall, Poo York City, or Brooklyn Hipster, to keep dogs engaged, interested, and happy! Please go to barkbox.com/HappyHour and get an extra premium free toy in your BarkBox every month when you subscribe to a 6 or 12-month plan and select “Yes, Please!” when asked if you “Have a playful pup?”

Sock Club

Sock Club is delivering the perfect gift experience. Quality American-made socks are sent straight to your loved-one’s door, featuring different designs and a personal note every month, making it the gift that keeps giving all year long. These socks are premium quality, American-made socks, and use cotton sourced from the Southeastern United States. They’re designed in Austin, Texas and knit in North Carolina. (You can tell the difference when you put ‘em on). Go to sockclub.com and get 15% off subscriptions using discount code “HAPPY” at checkout.

One of my all-time favorite guests, Bianca Juárez Olthoff, is back today for episode #32 of The Happy Half Hour. If you missed Bianca's first appearance, you must catch up here.

Bianca is back to fill us in on the latest happenings in her life - including a pretty major life transition with prison ministry. She also answers the how she recharges, where she'd live for a year, her biggest pet peeve and how she defines success. You're going to love catching back up with her.

If you're interested in prison ministry and how you might be able to link arms with Bianca, make sure you check out her site here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsor:

PrepDish

Prep Dish wants to help you with mealtime sanity this summer! Chef Allison created a fun 21-Day Meal Prep Challenge to motivate and encourage you to get started meal prepping and gain control of healthy meals for the summer. When the Challenge starts, you will get an easy-to follow guide for prepping all of your meals- breakfast lunch dinner & snacks for the full 21-days. They’re throwing in lots of goodies too! Checklists, bonus recipes, a guide to eating out, a Facebook group page for accountability, and more. For only $1/ day, you can delegate the worry and stress of mealtime this summer...your sanity is worth $21! The 21-Days start June 3rd. Register today at prepdish.com/happyhour21

My guest for The Happy Hour #142 is Cheryl Scruggs. Cheryl is a Biblical counselor with her husband, Jeff. She is the mom to adult twin daughters - Brittany Morgan and Lauren Scruggs Kennedy (who joined me for episode #132). She's also the co-author of I Do Again and Still LoLo. Cheryl and her husband live in Dallas, where they run a marriage ministry called Hope Matters Marriage Ministries.

I have been so anxious to get a chance to chat with Cheryl. You may remember part of her story from Lauren's interview a few weeks ago. After her own extramarital affair, Cheryl filed for divorce from her husband. She shares about the Lord saving her in the years of their divorce, and calling her to restore her marriage. After 7 years of divorce and a beautiful story of reconciliation, Cheryl and Jeff got remarried. They are now passionate about marriage ministry and helping couples to find hope in their marriages.

I absolutely loved hearing Cheryl's story. Marriage is hard, really hard. There are marriages all around me that are in hard places. Cheryl's story is evidence of how our marriages are never without hope with the gospel as a foundation.

In today's show, I also had a short chat with Kristin Schell, the author of The Turquoise Table. Her book will be our first read for our Happy Hour Summer Book Club! For more information on that, please click here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Lily Jade

For baby years & beyond! Full-grain leather, backpack diaper bags that are organized with the original patented Insert. Designed by a mom for mom's. Your diaper bag dollars go the distance to help moms all across the globe. Lily Jade believes in elevating the life-giving, more-challenging-than-you-ever-imaged, glory filled role of motherhood. Check out or pre-order SALE for popular styles and new colors!

Sock Club

Sock Club is delivering the perfect gift experience. Quality American-made socks are sent straight to your loved-one’s door, featuring different designs and a personal note every month, making it the gift that keeps giving all year long. These socks are premium quality, American-made socks, and use cotton sourced from the Southeastern United States. They’re designed in Austin, Texas and knit in North Carolina. (You can tell the difference when you put ‘em on). Go to sockclub.com and get 15% off subscriptions using discount code “HAPPY” at checkout.

Zip Recruiter

Are you hiring? Do you know where to post your job to find the best candidates? Finding great talent can be tough. Thankfully, with ZipRecruiter, you can post your job to 100 plus job sites with just one click. Then, their powerful technology efficiently matches the RIGHT people to your job—better than anyone else. That’s why ZipRecruiter is different. Unlike other job sites, ZipRecruiter doesn’t depend on candidates finding you; it finds them. In fact, over 80% of jobs posted on ZipRecruiter get a qualified candidate in just 24 hours!

Find out today why ZipRecruiter has been used by businesses of all sizes to find the most qualified job candidates with immediate results. And right now, you can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com/HH.

Amber Newberry is my guest for The Happy Hour #141. Amber embraces her calling as wounded healer and seeks to show all people that they are beautiful and beloved. Through sharing her story, Amber hopes to begin to free people that have been living in the bondage of shame in their own stories. You can find Amber at beautifulandbeloved.com where she shares not only her stories, but the ways that God has given her redemption and healing through meditation, yoga, oils, and prayer.

In today's show, Amber shares her story of sexual assault and rape as a teenager, leading her to an abortion at the age of 19. She talks about hearing the gospel for the first time when she was 24 - learning that the love and forgiveness of God through Jesus was available to her. And she tells about her passion now to see men and women set free from the bondage of shame and secrecy by sharing her story first.

On a lighter note, our conversation closes with talk about essential oils, the perfect concoction for allergies and Holy Yoga.

My heart (and Amber's heart) for today's show is that if you have experienced sexual assault or have an abortion in your history, that God would start to bring healing to your heart through our conversation. You are not alone, and you are not beyond the reach of God's grace and mercy towards you.

Also, in today's show, I announced that we are started a Happy Hour Summer Book Club! For more information on that, please click here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Lily Jade

For baby years & beyond! Full-grain leather, backpack diaper bags that are organized with the original patented Insert. Designed by a mom for mom's. Your diaper bag dollars go the distance to help moms all across the globe. Lily Jade believes in elevating the life-giving, more-challenging-than-you-ever-imaged, glory filled role of motherhood. Check out or pre-order SALE for popular styles and new colors!

Kopari

Kopari is a line of products that moisturize skin and hair, smell great—but without any sulfates, silicones, GMOs or parabens. Instead, Kopari products are made with 100% organic coconut oil. Kopari searched around the world for an oil of the highest quality, with a great aroma and a non-gritty texture, that you can apply head to toe. Say Aloha to the best skin and hair of your life with Kopari. Go to koparibeauty.com/jamie to receive 20% off your order!

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #31 is my friend, Alli Worthington. Alli is the author of Breaking Busy and Fierce Faith, business coach, advisor and Executive Director of Propel Women. Alli’s no-nonsense, guilt-free take on business, family, and balance has lead to appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America. She loves to speak at women's conferences and business events. Alli, her husband, Mark, and their five sons live outside of Nashville, TN.

Alli was on The Happy Hour for episode #114. If you missed her then, make sure to catch up here, as she was one of our most popular guests in 2016.

She's back today to catch up, report back on her personal mantra, the advice she loves to give out, her personal goals for the year and her pet peeve.

Alli is also graciously giving away her 52 Ways to be Happier, Healthier and Enjoy Life More Series. Make sure you check that out here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsor:

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

The Happy Hour is THREE! To celebrate, I invited some of my closest friends and biggest encouragers to join me for a real life happy hour. We met at Chicon, one of my favorite restaurants in Austin and celebrated all that The Happy Hour has become over the last three years. In today's show, you'll get an inside peek into the celebration and my relationships with some of my favorite people. I pull a few friends in to ask me a few questions that you sent in. We cover my tattoos, the best conferences I have been a part of, my indecision of being an introvert or extrovert, and of course, my eyelashes. We really cover the good stuff.

More importantly, I want to thank YOU, the listener. You are really the ones that make this show possible. You're the ones that keep listening and keep us going. I can't believe this life, and am so thankful that you have helped to make it possible. From the bottom of my heart, thank you SO much.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Sightbox

Sightbox is the best way to make being a contact lens wearer more affordable. After you sign up, we book and pay for your eye exam, then deliver 12-month supply of contact lenses right to your door. You can even get color lenses or toric lenses for astigmatism as part of all memberships. Give your eyes the love they deserve and visit Sightbox.com/Jamie to receive one month for free!

Dear Mushka

DearMushka seeks to create quality + affordable jewelry… on a mission. Every piece is crafted with a specific verse in mind and comes paired with a corresponding verse card meant to keep by your bathroom mirror, store in your heart, and then think on throughout your day. Each piece is designed to “tell the story with beauty” and can act as a gospel conversation starter to share God’s truths with those you interact with daily. Art prints, apparel, scripture packs, and jewelry available– all meant to comfort hearts & share truth in a way that feels authentic, doable, and beautiful. All jewelry comes packaged in an individual box ready for gift giving! Use code JAMIE for 10% off all orders until June 1.

It's May y'all! I don't know what it's like where you are, but May is starting off beautifully in Austin, TX. The weather is perfect, every thing is green and baseball season is in full gear. To kick the month off, Megan Tietz is joining me for episode #139 of The Happy Hour. Megan served as the soothing voice and spirited pen behind SortaCrunchy – blog hub for all things faith, family, and natural living from 2006-2014. She is also co-author of Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby’s First Year.

In 2015, she launched Sorta Awesome and discovered she was born to host a podcast what with having that unique creative chemistry that thrives on in-depth analysis of pop culture, all things intentional living, and the next big thing you didn’t know you couldn’t live without.

On today's show, we talk all about podcasting, which we're both obviously passionate about. Megan shares her latest favorites and we discuss the newest podcast craze, S-Town (don't worry...no spoilers this time). Megan is also a personality guru and shares her assessment of my personality type, and explains why she has found personality types fascinating and helping in interpersonal relationships.

And finally, we talk about Megan's travels to Lebanon, the refugee crisis and how her perspective has shifted after her travels. There are a lot of links below if you are interested in learning more about how you can be involved.

Enjoy your week, and make sure to join us next week for a very special edition of The Happy Hour as we celebrate our third anniversary!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Halo Top

When it comes to food, pleasing the whole family can be a task, to put it lightly. When it comes to dessert, it's easy to please, but hard to keep it healthy, until now. Halo Top is a low-calorie, high-protein, and low-sugar ice cream that tastes like the real thing, because it is. Don't take our word for it, try it yourself, just know that there's no going back once you do because nothing tastes better than not having to compromise.

Dear Mushka

DearMushka seeks to create quality + affordable jewelry… on a mission. Every piece is crafted with a specific verse in mind and comes paired with a corresponding verse card meant to keep by your bathroom mirror, store in your heart, and then think on throughout your day. Each piece is designed to “tell the story with beauty” and can act as a gospel conversation starter to share God’s truths with those you interact with daily. Art prints, apparel, scripture packs, and jewelry available– all meant to comfort hearts & share truth in a way that feels authentic, doable, and beautiful. All jewelry comes packaged in an individual box ready for gift giving! Use code JAMIE for 10% off all orders until June 1.

Lauren is an adoptive momma of two kiddos from Ethiopia. On today's show, she shares about her adoption journey, including their struggle with infertility. She also shares about the unique experience of adopting from Ethiopia and how they decided to keep their children's birth names.

Lauren's son was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. In our conversation, she shares about that life-changing diagnosis and how she has learned to reshape her expectations and see the beauty in the brokenness.

Lauren's book about the lessons she has learned from her son is coming out next week, so make sure you scoot over and grab a copy here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Taking My Life Back

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year- old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blast of a homemade bomb packed with nails and screws went off three feet behind her, Rebekah’s legs took the brunt of the explosion. Seventeen surgeries and sixty-five procedures later, she made the decision to have her left leg amputated. This stirring memoir tells of Rebekah’s remarkable recovery—including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race and her participation in the trial of one of the terrorists.

Dear Mushka

DearMushka seeks to create quality + affordable jewelry… on a mission. Every piece is crafted with a specific verse in mind and comes paired with a corresponding verse card meant to keep by your bathroom mirror, store in your heart, and then think on throughout your day. Each piece is designed to “tell the story with beauty” and can act as a gospel conversation starter to share God’s truths with those you interact with daily. Art prints, apparel, scripture packs, and jewelry available– all meant to comfort hearts & share truth in a way that feels authentic, doable, and beautiful. All jewelry comes packaged in an individual box ready for gift giving! Use code JAMIE for 10% off all orders until June 1.

Messy Beautiful Friendship

With engaging true stories and guidance drawn from Scripture, Christine Hoover offers a fresh, biblical vision forfriendship that allows for the messiness of our lives and the realities of our schedules. She shows you how to deepen relationships, overcome insecurity, and revel in the beauty and joy of everyday friendship. This book makes a perfect companion for every season of life. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #28 is Latasha Morrison. Tasha is a bridge-builder, reconciler and a compelling voice in the fight for racial justice. A native of North Carolina, Tasha attended East Carolina University, earned a Masters in Business from Liberty University. She has served as Children’s and Next Gen Director and recently joined staff at Gateway Church Central in Austin, Texas as the Director of Operations. In Addition to her church positions, she has simultaneously cultivated Be the Bridge; a ministry to equip and provide tools for those who are actively involved in taking the next steps toward racial solidarity.

Tasha first joined us for The Happy Hour for episode #44. It was one of the very best shows from the early days. So, if you haven't listened to it, make sure to catch up here.

Today, Tasha is back to catch up on what's new in her world, an update on Be the Bridge and to share what she hopes her legacy will be, the advice she loves to give out and what her definition of success.

I am such a huge fan of all the things that Tasha has her hands in, and am so thrilled to have her back today. I hope you enjoy the show and have an incredible Easter celebrating the resurrection of our King.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsor:

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #136 is Lisa-Jo Baker. Lisa-Jo has been the community manager for (in)courage, an online home for women all over the world, for nearly a decade. She is also the author of Surprised by Motherhood, and her most recent book, Never Unfriended. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband and their three very loud kids, where she connects, encourages, and champions women in person and through her blog, lisajobaker.com.

Lisa-Jo is a dear friend of mine, and I have been so anxious to have her on the show for a while now. I am so thrilled to have her today, after her recent release of her newest book, Never Unfriended.

Before we get to the book talk, we chat about Aaron Sorkin, movies, Ryan Gosling and his Girl Scout Cookies escapade. We also discuss my family's media fast, and her family's media feast.

Finally, we talk about Lisa-Jo's new book and the lengths to which God went to be a friend to his enemies. Lisa-Jo discusses the impact of championing the people around us.

I know you're going to love this interview and if you'd like to join me and a handful of others for an online book club for Never Unfriended, it's going to be a real party. You can find more information here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Taking My Life Back

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year- old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blast of a homemade bomb packed with nails and screws went off three feet behind her, Rebekah’s legs took the brunt of the explosion. Seventeen surgeries and sixty-five procedures later, she made the decision to have her left leg amputated. This stirring memoir tells of Rebekah’s remarkable recovery—including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race and her participation in the trial of one of the terrorists.

Africa New Life

Africa New Life Ministries exists to help children escape the cycle of poverty in Rwanda. Key to this intervention is making sure children receive the food they need to succeed. Consistent, nutritious food is vital for children to not only have healthy bodies, but to also learn, grow, and thrive. Food is the first essential in establishing stability. For $.83 a meal, you can provide the gift of food this Christmas. Help release a child from poverty today at www.foodisrwanda.org

Messy Beautiful Friendship

With engaging true stories and guidance drawn from Scripture, Christine Hoover offers a fresh, biblical vision forfriendship that allows for the messiness of our lives and the realities of our schedules. She shows you how to deepen relationships, overcome insecurity, and revel in the beauty and joy of everyday friendship. This book makes a perfect companion for every season of life. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Hour #135 is Jenny Randle. Jenny is a Creative Ninja, a speaker, art director and Emmy-winning video editor. She’s collaborated on billion dollar franchises in the heart of Hollywood and currently specializes in design and advertising. Jenny has a passion for empowering others to understand their God-given identity, purpose and creativity. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, Matt, and two young children. Jenny’s preferred creative fuel is Jesus, lattes and freestyle rap battles with her family.

In our conversation, Jenny and I chat about how adults seem to let their creative sides fizzle, and how she's committed to bringing that back to life. She does that through some creative exercises that she subjected me to. I won't spoil the big moment, but I'll just say I think you're going to love my impression of a household appliance.

Jenny also talks about her husband's battle with depression - how it started, when they sought help and where they are now. I am always so grateful for women share stories like this, because I know how lonely stories like this can feel. Jenny does such a great job of talking about their journey and offering hope to those that are in their own fight.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Taking My Life Back

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year- old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blast of a homemade bomb packed with nails and screws went off three feet behind her, Rebekah’s legs took the brunt of the explosion. Seventeen surgeries and sixty-five procedures later, she made the decision to have her left leg amputated. This stirring memoir tells of Rebekah’s remarkable recovery—including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race and her participation in the trial of one of the terrorists.

Africa New Life

Africa New Life Ministries exists to help children escape the cycle of poverty in Rwanda. Key to this intervention is making sure children receive the food they need to succeed. Consistent, nutritious food is vital for children to not only have healthy bodies, but to also learn, grow, and thrive. Food is the first essential in establishing stability. For $.83 a meal, you can provide the gift of food this Christmas. Help release a child from poverty today at www.foodisrwanda.org

Messy Beautiful Friendship

With engaging true stories and guidance drawn from Scripture, Christine Hoover offers a fresh, biblical vision forfriendship that allows for the messiness of our lives and the realities of our schedules. She shows you how to deepen relationships, overcome insecurity, and revel in the beauty and joy of everyday friendship. This book makes a perfect companion for every season of life. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #28 is Shay Shull. Shay is a cookbook author, blogger, world traveler, baseball lover and mom to four. With her husband, Andrew, they live in McKinney, TX, where they each own their own businesses, drink way too much coffee and argue over whose baseball team is superior (she loves the Sox, he's a Yankee fan). Shay's passionate about food, family, faith, travel and adoption.

Shay was on The Happy Hour exactly one year ago for episode #82. If you missed that show, make sure to catch up here. Since then, she and her husband have adopted another baby and she's written a second cookbook: Mix-and-Match Mama Kids in the Kitchen.

In our chat today, we talk about the latest goings on of the Shull family, resolving that we should catch up more than once a year.

Shay shares her newest obsession - her Sleep Number bed. And she answers what she'd like her legacy to be, the advice she loves to give out and where she'd love to live for a year.

I know you'll love catching back up with Shay. Make sure to keep an eye out for her on the next Sleep Number Bed campaign.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #134 is Tsh Oxenreider. Tsh is the author of Notes from a Blue Bike and Organized Simplicity, and is the founder of the community blog The Art of Simple. She’s the top-ranked podcaster of The Simple Show, and her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN, Real Simple magazine, and more. A graduate of the University of Texas, where she studied English and anthropology, Tsh currently lives near Austin, with her family and eats tacos several times a week. A girl after my very own heart.

I hate to tell you this, but I think listening to this show might end up costing you some dollar bills. I am pretty sure you're going to want to renew that passport and hop on the next international flight to experience the world. Tsh and her husband are avid travelers and value showing their kids the world. In 2014, they started a journey around the world (with three kids!) and lived to tell about it. On today's show, she shares about traveling with kids, their decision to live low and slow all over the world, and the challenges surrounding re-entry to their normal lives.

Tsh's memoir about their travels is releasing next month, and I can't wait to dig in. You can pre-order your copy here. And if you love traveling, share a photo on Instagram and tag Tsh and me! We'd love to see where you've been and what you loved.

Also, I have a big favor to ask of you. In order to support the show, we are looking for some great advertisers. To get the best advertisers for our listeners, we need to gather a little bit more information about YOU. Will you please take just a couple minutes to fill out this survey? As a bonus, you'll be entered to win a $100 Amazon giftcard and some other goodies I'll be giving away!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Taking My Life Back

On April 15, 2013, Rebekah Gregory and her five-year- old son waited at the finish line of the Boston Marathon to support a friend who was running. When the blast of a homemade bomb packed with nails and screws went off three feet behind her, Rebekah’s legs took the brunt of the explosion. Seventeen surgeries and sixty-five procedures later, she made the decision to have her left leg amputated. This stirring memoir tells of Rebekah’s remarkable recovery—including her triumphant return to Boston two years later to run part of the race and her participation in the trial of one of the terrorists.

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #27 is Logan Wolfram. Logan would give you full access to her pantry if you lived next door. She is a plate-juggling mom and interior decorator turned author, speaker, and host of the Allume Conference. She is a passionate leader who desires to see women live fully in Christ. Logan is the author of Curious Faith; Rediscovering Hope in the God of Possibility. She is currently working on her second book which is set to release in Fall 2018. Along with her husband, Jeremy, she divides most of her time between wrangling two inquisitive boys and a 175-pound dog named Titan.

Logan was first on The Happy Hour for episode #57. If you missed her then, make sure to catch up here.

In our conversation today, Logan shares about traveling to China with her young kids and consequently, a truancy report. We also talk about our Voxer mastermind group, which we both use to bounce ideas off each other, ask questions and encourage one another in our work.

And Logan gets the usual Happy Half Hour routine, with questions like what advice she likes to give out, what success means to her and where she'd like to live for a year.

Y'all enjoy catching back up with Logan, and have a great weekend!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #133 is Kate Merrick. Kate is a writer, speaker, pastor’s wife, mama of a teen and a toddler, surfer, part-time cowgirl, and self-proclaimed chicken whisperer. She has been married to Britt for 19 years, and they live in Carpinteria, California, where they founded the Reality family of churches. In 2013, she endured the death of her daughter, Daisy Love, after suffering through cancer treatment for three and a half years. Kate is making her way back toward laughter, and finding life to be filled with good things.

In today's show, Kate and I chat about her new book: And Still She Laughs. I have read through most of the book already and was so impressed and surprised by the approach she took to write it. Instead of it being primarily the story of her grief, she details the stories of several women in the Bible who have suffered and persevered.

We also talk about her decision to get off social media preceding her daughter's death, and what led her to that decision. We chat about the tension between perspective and comparison - and how comparison robs us of our joy in living the life God has planned for us.

And finally (because what happy hour would be complete without it?), we discuss shark attacks and my paralyzing (and very rational) fear of being devoured by a shark.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a fair trade jewelry and accessories company that provides meaningful opportunities around the world. To create a marketplace for the Artisan Partners they work with, they invite women in the United States to launch their own businesses through the Ambassador Opportunity. For the month of March only, Noonday is offering you exclusively some of my personal favorite products when you join. Just click here to see exactly what those products are and how you can join the Ambassador Community today!

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #132 is Heather Avis. Heather is wife to her man Josh, and mother to the adorable Macyn, Truly and August. After working as an Education Specialist she found herself as a full-time stay-at-home mom when she and her husband adopted their first daughter, Macyn, in 2008. Shortly thereafter, in 2011, they adopted their second daughter, Truly. And in 2013, their son August was born and came home to be theirs. Heather currently resides in Southern California where between oatmeal making, diaper changing and dance parties, she just finished writing her first book and uses her hit Instagram account @macymakesmyday, to share the awesomeness of all things Down syndrome and adoption.

In my conversation with Heather, I learn all about the journey that God took Heather and her husband on to bring home their three gorgeous children. Heather shares about how God changed her heart to pursue adopting a child with Down Syndrome. She talks about some of the misconceptions and the language people use when talking about children with special needs. And she also shares the staggering statistics on doctors recommending aborting babies with Down Syndrome. It took my breath away, and I imagine it will for some of you too.

This was my first time meeting Heather, and I absolutely loved getting to know her. She cares fiercely for and advocates for the underdog, and she believes God's goodness and beauty are found in the seemingly uncomfortable places.

Coming up next week, on World Down Syndrome Day, Heather will release her very first book. I can't wait to read it, and I know you'll love hearing more of her story as well. Make sure to pre-order your copy here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a fair trade jewelry and accessories company that provides meaningful opportunities around the world. To create a marketplace for the Artisan Partners they work with, they invite women in the United States to launch their own businesses through the Ambassador Opportunity. For the month of March only, Noonday is offering you exclusively some of my personal favorite products when you join. Just click here to see exactly what those products are and how you can join the Ambassador Community today!

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #131 is Haley Robison. Haley Robison is the CEO at Kammok, a outdoor gear company that designs technical, performance gear for the everyday adventurer. Haley believes in the power of well-designed product to enable life changing experiences, and she aspires to increase outdoor engagement by building a brand that encourages a city-to-trail lifestyle and makes the outdoor experience accessible for everyone.

In today's conversation, Haley and I talk about what it's like to be a 31-year-old CEO of a very popular and successful company. Haley shares a bit about the pressures of being a young female executive. We share about our very similar (insert eye roll) experiences camping and brushes with death. She explains the differences between Type 1, Type 2 and the dreaded Type 3 fun.

Haley also opens up about singleness and her contentment in this life stage. Finally, you'll hear about the newest Kammok gear that you're going to want to get your hands on! Kammok is offering 20% off using the code HAPPYHOUR for listeners. So, make sure to hurry over and grab some gear! Offer is good until March 31.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Easter Story Egg

The Easter Story Egg™ is a family activity that explores the story of Holy week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. This new tradition includes a hardcover book and 7 wooden nesting Eggs. Each Egg in the set has a story within the book that relates to a particular day in Holy Week. As the children open each Egg they will discover the story of Easter. Finally, on Easter Sunday they will find the smallest Egg empty and they will be reminded of the true meaning of this special holiday!

Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a fair trade jewelry and accessories company that provides meaningful opportunities around the world. To create a marketplace for the Artisan Partners they work with, they invite women in the United States to launch their own businesses through the Ambassador Opportunity. For the month of March only, Noonday is offering you exclusively some of my personal favorite products when you join. Just click here to see exactly what those products are and how you can join the Ambassador Community today!

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #26 is my husband, the one and only, Aaron Ivey. Aaron is the only man allowed on the show, unless one of you can connect me with George W. Bush. Aaron is making his fourth appearance on The Happy Hour. You can listen to his previous interviews here: #39, #70 and #100.

In today's show, we give you some sneak peaks into The Happy Hour LIVE! You're not going to want to miss. We have some really fun surprises and an unforgettable night planned for you. You have just a couple more hours to snag your ticket. So, go go go right now and grab one.

We also hear Aaron's latest recommendations on TV and podcasts, the advice he loves to give and what he's aiming for in 2017. We also get an earful of his pet peeves - he's pretty peevey.

Peeves and all, he's my favorite guest of all time, and I am pretty sure he's gotta be yours too. Y'all enjoy the show and make sure to hurry over and grab one of the last few tickets for the live shows!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!

In our conversation today, we chat about Joy's love for the art of improv, while she educates me on some of the theater lingo. We talk all about her latest venture, Punchline Speakers, and where they're heading and how you might be able to be a part. Joy and her husband are in the process of moving to Paris, France, so she shares what she has learned about French culture and American perceptions. We also chat about our possible diagnoses of Worst Case Scenario Disorder (WCSD) and our mutual experienced fear of sharks in swimming pools. Oh, this conversation has it all.

We end with one of my favorite dinner table questions - would you rather be rich or famous? Joy tried her best to wiggle herself out of that question, but she finally caved after some pressure.

I loved loved loved having Joy on the show. I think you will love hearing from her, her contagious laugh and what she's up to these days.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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EM Jewelry+Design

EM Jewelry+Design is a woman owned and operated company that makes jewelry by hand from start to finish. By creating high quality jewelry we encourage women to invest in fewer pieces that will last longer. Our hope is to inspire confidence in women, by looking and feeling great in what they are wearing. Learn more at emjewelrydesign.com and use code 'HAPPYHOUR' to save 10% on your purchase!

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

In today's show, we cover it all. We start where all happy hours should start - a review on jumpsuits. If you don't know, Rebekah can rock a jumpsuit better than just about anyone out there. I later learn that one reason she can pull them off so effortlessly is because she's riding a bike with her son for about an hour every day. So, if you need a new goal, there you go. Riding a bike may just earn you a jumpsuit.

In less trivial conversation, Rebekah shares about her newest book, You Are Free, which was just released yesterday. Y'all have heard me (at nauseam) talk about book covers, and this one is one of my favorites. It even feels good. Rebekah talks about the process of writing the book and battling the lies of the enemy to walk in obedience and write her story. She also shares about her family and their move to New York City with three kids, and how her son very cleverly caused himself to be sick at school day after day to communicate to his parents that it was time to move on.

I am majorly inspired by Rebekah, and I hope that you are too. Make sure you hurry over and grab a copy of her latest book.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

EM Jewelry+Design

EM Jewelry+Design is a woman owned and operated company that makes jewelry by hand from start to finish. By creating high quality jewelry we encourage women to invest in fewer pieces that will last longer. Our hope is to inspire confidence in women, by looking and feeling great in what they are wearing. Learn more at emjewelrydesign.com and use code 'HAPPYHOUR' to save 10% on your purchase!

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

The Heart of Marriage

With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #25 is my friend, Jennie Allen. Jennie is a speaker, author, teacher and the founder and visionary of IF:Gathering. IF: Gathering has since become one of the fastest growing conferences and movements in the world, empowering women across continents and denominations to live honestly and deeply. Just a few weeks ago, Jennie published her highly anticipated third book, Nothing to Prove. Jennie lives with her husband Zac and their four children in Austin, Texas.

Jennie has made previous appearances on The Happy Hour #12 and The Happy Half Hour #4. She's back today to catch up, chat about her newest book and the latest IF: Gathering. She also answers our newest half hour questions, including her favorite meal, what she'd tell her 30-year-old self and the advice she usually gives.

Y'all enjoy catching back up with Jennie. Hope you have a great weekend, and have a happy hour with a friend!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #127 is Sally Clarkson. Sally is the mother of four wholehearted children, a popular conference speaker, and champion of women everywhere. She is the best-selling author of numerous books and articles on Christian motherhood and parenting, including her most recent release, Different, written with her son. Sally lives in Monument, Colorado and loves Jesus, her family, reading, music, tea, traveling, long walks, and her golden retriever, Darcy.

On today's show, Sally and I chat about writing her newest book with her son, Nathan. Growing up as an out-of-the-box kid with OCD and ADHD, Nathan writes about his experiences and thought patterns, and Sally writes about her journey in parenting him (mistakes and all). In our conversation, Sally shares more about the book - how it came to be, what it was like to write with her son, and what she learned along the way. Her wisdom in parenting kiddos with different personalities, different strengths and weaknesses is so valuable.

Sally and I also chat about disciplining children based on their personalities. Finally, she talks about how she is passionate about making sure she is filled up, so that the people that draw from her, draw riches and not poverty.

Whether you have been following Sally for a long time, and getting to know her for the first time, I hope you find our conversation to be inspiring no matter what stage of like you are in. Today's conversation is parenting-heavy, but I hope you're able to glean a little nugget or two for your life.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

EM Jewelry+Design

EM Jewelry+Design is a woman owned and operated company that makes jewelry by hand from start to finish. By creating high quality jewelry we encourage women to invest in fewer pieces that will last longer. Our hope is to inspire confidence in women, by looking and feeling great in what they are wearing. Learn more at emjewelrydesign.com and use code 'HAPPYHOUR' to save 10% on your purchase!

Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!

The Heart of Marriage

With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #24 is Debra Parker. Debra is all about freedom and wild pursuits. She follows Jesus and manages the her party of six. She's a self-described beach dweller and anywhere adventurer. She is also the Founder of Wildfire Collective: Podcast + Happenings + Justice Initiative.

Debra first joined me on The Happy Hour for episode #10, when we talked about sex trafficking, her adoption story and celebrity crushes. She's back today to catch up and fill us in on the latest going ons in her life. We chat about what success looks like for her, what she would like her legacy to be, and what she would tell her 20-year-old self. Sage advice there, y'all. I hope you love catching back up with Debra.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsor:

Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!

My guest for The Happy Hour #126 is the incredibly gorgeous Sazan Hendrix. Digital media influencer and fashion/beauty/lifestyle icon, Sazanwas born to inspire others. As one of the most recognizable and leading young beauty entrepreneurs, she is transforming the professional business of social and digital media all around the world with nearly one million loyal followers across her platforms in addition to the millions of views on her blog and YouTube channel. She has also become an exclusive digital media ambassador for Maybelline, and most recently has launched her very own monthly box subscription called Bless Box.

On today's show, Sazan and I chat about what her days look like as a fashion and beauty blogger. If you have ever wondered what a day in the life of someone who lives in the digital world looks like, Sazan does a great job of describing it. She shares about how she and her husband work together and how they make it work. She also tells about her Kurdish background, and the costs and challenges with her decision to follow Jesus and marry an American man. She recently travelled to Israel, and shares about her experience and the digital backlash she received.

If you don't already know Sazan, trust me, you'll probably find yourself binging on her YouTube videos for the next few hours. That's how we met, anyway. Sazan is the kind of beautiful that's an itsy bit intimidating to me. But, I was so impressed by her, and how relatable and personable she is. I think you will love getting to know her...and now I suspect I have lost you to perusing her YouTube channel. If you can break away, come back on Friday for another episode of The Happy Half Hour!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Sponsors:

Noonday Collection

Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

The Heart of Marriage

With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

I first met Renee by interviewing her for The Influence Network Podcast and fell in love and immediately invited her to join us on The Happy Hour. If I could describe Renee and this conversation with one word, it would be wisdom. This is the kind of interview that you'll want to grab a pen and piece of paper and take some notes. She shares some really valuable wisdom on using her gifts and skill sets in her home and with her family, when she was so used to using them in the workforce. Renee recently stepped away from her job to focus on her family, specifically her daughter with special needs. She shares about that decision and what she has learned along the way.

Most of our conversation focused on Renee sharing about a difficult season with their middle son, as he shocked his parents by claiming atheism. Renee's wisdom and her patient self-control completely blew me away. I know some of you are right in the middle of these seasons, or for some of you, they are coming. The Spirit of God in Renee is so illuminating and inspiring. But, what I realized as I have thought more about this conversation is that it's easy to listen to people like Renee who are good with words, good with people, and think "I could never do that with my kid." And I want to encourage you that if you are in Christ, the same Spirit lives in you. My heart feels heavy today for those of you that are hurting because of difficult seasons with your kids. I hope Renee's experience and her wisdom is like water to your soul today.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

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Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. This month only, Allison is offering listeners a 50% off flash sale!You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: HH50

There(4) Gathering

THERE{4} Teen Gathering is a weekend conference designed to inspire high school girls to boldly live out their identity in Jesus Christ. Teen girls have fears, insecurities, and passions. THERE{4} addresses these in a real, honest way through amazing speakers (such as Annie Downs and Amena Brown Owen), interactive experiences, and powerful worship. Join us for the 2017 conference February 17-18 in Fort Worth, Texas. Use promo code: jamieivey to get $10 off the regular price of $59. To learn more visit www.there4gathering.com.

Kat Armstrong is back as my guest for The Happy Half Hour #23. Kat is the creator of Baby Bow Tie, which she recently announced she is selling (you can find out more from the link below!) and the founder of Polished, a ministry sharing the gospel with women in the workforce.

Kat is back today with a little update on what's going on with Polished and their goals for the new year. They are hoping to launch Polished North Austin and Polished Southeast Dallas and a second Polished Houston chapter, but to do so they need to find sponsors and volunteers. If you are interested, you can email Kat directly with the subject line: Polished Houston 2, or Polished North Austin, or Polished SE Dallas.

She also shares about what God has been teaching her through her word search of bread in the Bible. You'll love it and can check out more from the link below. We also chat about what she would tell her 20-year-old self, what she wants her legacy to be and how she recharges.

I am a huge fan of Kat and everything she has going on. I know you'll love catching up with her again. And make sure to check out the event that we are partnering up for February 2. Tickets are on sale now here.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

Connect with Kat

Connect with Jamie

Sponsor

Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

In our conversation today, we chat about the podcasting world and starting new ideas. But, I gotta tell you, most of our conversation is surrounding our latest and most favorite books. So, if you're looking for your next good read, you've come to the right place. Anne and I have some different tastes, so you'll get a lot of recommendations for all kinds of preferences. We also chat about our favorite podcasts and episodes. You'll find a lot of links below to help you find what you're looking for. Hope y'all enjoy the show and make sure to leave a comment if you read any of the books, and tell us what you think!

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

Connect with Anne

Connect with Jamie

Sponsors:

Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. This month only, Allison is offering listeners a 50% off flash sale!You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: HH50

There(4) Gathering

THERE{4} Teen Gathering is a weekend conference designed to inspire high school girls to boldly live out their identity in Jesus Christ. Teen girls have fears, insecurities, and passions. THERE{4} addresses these in a real, honest way through amazing speakers (such as Annie Downs and Amena Brown Owen), interactive experiences, and powerful worship. Join us for the 2017 conference February 17-18 in Fort Worth, Texas. Use promo code: jamieivey to get $10 off the regular price of $59. To learn more visit www.there4gathering.com.

My guest for episode #123 is Lisa Bevere. Lisa believes in women and empowers them by weaving the practical with the profound truth of God's Word in award-winning curriculums and her best-selling books. Her heart breaks over social injustice. As an advocate for change, she rallies others to be an answer to desperate problems near and far. She and her husband John co-founded Messenger International, an organization established to teach, reach, and rescue. Lisa is the mother of four sons and grandmother of four.

In our conversation, you'll love hearing Lisa share about how she started walking with Jesus, her first discipleship relationship and how the church first reacted to her. Lisa travels a lot, and she shares her wisdom in how she stays connected with her husband with intentionality during those seasons. She also talks about her four boys, and how she and her husband relate to their adult children and grandchildren. Finally, Lisa shares about her newest book, Without Rival, and what God is teaching her about how He loves his children.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

Connect with Lisa

Connect with Jamie

Sponsors:

Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. This month only, Allison is offering listeners a 50% off flash sale!You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: HH50

There(4) Gathering

THERE{4} Teen Gathering is a weekend conference designed to inspire high school girls to boldly live out their identity in Jesus Christ. Teen girls have fears, insecurities, and passions. THERE{4} addresses these in a real, honest way through amazing speakers (such as Annie Downs and Amena Brown Owen), interactive experiences, and powerful worship. Join us for the 2017 conference February 17-18 in Fort Worth, Texas. Use promo code: jamieivey to get $10 off the regular price of $59. To learn more visit www.there4gathering.com.

My guest for the Happy Half Hour #22 is my friend, Amanda Brown. Not only is Amanda one of my favorite friends, she's also my assistant. Which is kinda weird, but also 190% awesome because I get to work with one of my best friends.

Amanda made her first appearance on The Happy Hour on episode #3. She's back today with a review of her favorite episode from 2016, and some new happy half hour questions for 2017. You'll hear her favorite music, meal, and advice. She also shares what she would tell her 20-year-old self and where she'd love to live for a year.

You may not know you love Amanda, but trust me, you do. Without her The Happy Hour would be a little less happy. Y'all enjoy catching up with Amanda, and make sure to tune in next week for my conversation with Lisa Bevere.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

Links from the Show

Connect with Amanda

Connect with Jamie

Sponsor

Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

Happy 2017!! I am so excited to start off the year with Rachel Cruze as my guest for Happy Hour #122 is Rachel Cruze. As a #1 New York Times best-selling author and seasoned communicator, Rachel helps Americans learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored two best-selling books: Love Your Life, Not Theirs and Smart Money Smart Kids. The daughter of Dave Ramsey, she joined Ramsey Solutions in 2010 and uses the knowledge and experiences from growing up in the Ramsey household to educate others.

In today's conversation, we talk about what it was like growing up as a Ramsey, and the lessons she learned in a money conscious family. We chat about teaching our kids about the finiteness of money, and not letting our past mistakes with money keep us from making better choices in the future. Rachel also shares about her newest book about being content with your own life, and not coveting the lives around you. She shares how covetousness affects our finances and how she fights it with gratitude.

{You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!}

Connect with Rachel

Connect with Jamie

Sponsors:

Stephanie May Wilson

Having just moved to a new city, and busy with work and family, author Stephanie May Wilson knew there had to be an easier way of creating deep friendships as a busy adult. So she wrote out some questions, invited over a few girls she barely knew, and as they answered the questions, they began to share their stories. That first night they laughed, cried, and spoke God’s truth into tender areas of each other’s lives and before they knew it, strangers became friends, and friends became best friends. Those questions became a 6-week small group guide that has achieved the same friendships in communities all over the country. Whether you're looking to start a cooking club with old friends, to go deeper with new friends, or to help a group of girls you lead connect in a deeper way — our lives are so much richer when we have best friends to share them with, and this guide is the perfect way to get there! Click here to download a free copy of the first week.

PrepDish

Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. This month only, Allison is offering listeners a 50% off flash sale!You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: HH50

There(4) Gathering

THERE{4} Teen Gathering is a weekend conference designed to inspire high school girls to boldly live out their identity in Jesus Christ. Teen girls have fears, insecurities, and passions. THERE{4} addresses these in a real, honest way through amazing speakers (such as Annie Downs and Amena Brown Owen), interactive experiences, and powerful worship. Join us for the 2017 conference February 17-18 in Fort Worth, Texas. Use promo code: jamieivey to get $10 off the regular price of $59. To learn more visit www.there4gathering.com.